What’s
so great about stabilized
shooting? Sharper photos.
The old rule of thumb
for handholding a given
lens is that you should
use a shutter speed equal
to the reciprocal of
its focal length (or
faster) if you want sharp
results. With a 200mm
lens, for example, you’d
need a shutter speed
of 1⁄200 sec. or
faster.
Stabilized gear compensates
for camera movement and
thus lets you attain equivalent
results at slower shutter
speeds. The claims are
for two to three shutter
speeds slower, meaning
that with a stabilized
camera or lens, the average
serious photographer can
get sharp images handholding
a 200mm lens at 1⁄50
or 1⁄25 sec. While
results vary depending
on conditions and skill
level, you can expect to
handhold stabilized gear
at least two shutter speeds
slower than you can handhold
the same focal length without
stabilization.
Image-stabilization systems
don’t resist camera
movement like costly gyro-stabilizer
attachments; rather, they
let the movement happen,
but compensate for it.
There are two basic types
of image stabilization
in use today, both of which
are highly effective:
With optical image stabilization,
the system shifts a group
of lens elements to counter
camera movement and keep
the subject in one place
on the image sensor or
film. Canon uses a version
of this system in its IS
(Image Stabilizer) lenses,
Nikon in its VR (Vibration
Reduction) lenses and Sigma
in its OS (Optical Stabilizer)
zoom. Optical stabilization
is also used in consumer
digital cameras from Canon,
Kodak, Konica Minolta,
Nikon, Panasonic and Sony.
With CCD-shift stabilization,
instead of moving lens
elements, the system shifts
the image sensor itself
to counteract camera shake
and keep the image steady.
Konica Minolta’s
Anti-Shake cameras and
Pentax’s Shake-Reduction
cameras use this system.
Normally, image-stabilization
systems counteract both
vertical and horizontal
camera movement. Some SLR
gear provides an “action” mode,
which allows you to pan
the camera horizontally
or vertically while the
system counters only motion
along the other axis. Read
the instruction manual
for your gear. With some
systems, you should switch
the stabilization off when
using the camera on a tripod.
Resources
Canon, (800) OK-CANON,
www.usa.canon.com
Kodak, (800) 235-6325,
www.kodak.com
Konica
Minolta, (800)
285-6422, www.kmpi.konicaminolta.us
Nikon, (800) NIKON-US,
www.nikonusa.com
Panasonic, (800) 211-PANA,
www.panasonic.com
Pentax, (800) 877-0155,
www.pentaximaging.com
Sigma, (800) 896-6858,
www.sigma-photo.com
Sony, (800) 222-SONY,
www.sonystyle.com
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